Age-related macular degeneration, which is the leading cause of irreversible visual impairment and blindness in people, aged 60 and older is another ill effect of smoking, recent study says.
However it is also found that those who ate more fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as mackerel, lake trout, sardines, and albacore tuna and salmon, had a lower risk of developing the vision-robbing disease.

In the study, researchers collected data on 681 elderly male twins from the National Academy of Sciences National Research Council World War II Veteran Twin Registry.

They discovered that current smokers had a 1.9-fold increased risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, while past smokers had about a 1.7-fold increased risk. In addition, the researchers found that eating fish reduced the risk of AMD, particularly if two or more servings were consumed each week. Increased omega-3 fatty acids from fish in the diet were also associated with a lower AMD risk.

In another study in the same issue of the journal, Australian researchers confirmed that eating fish seems to protect against AMD. Of 2,335 study participants who took part in a five-year follow-up, 158 had developed early AMD and 26 had late-stage disease. Those who ate fish once a week had a 40 percent reduced risk of early AMD, compared with those who ate fish less than once a month. And those who ate fish three or more times a week also had reduced risk for late-stage AMD.

August 29th, 2008 A groundbreaking discovery on macular degeneration reveals the direct association of immune system protein called TLR3 with onset of severe "dry" macular degeneration. This discovery is believed to be a breakthrough as the doctors are now in position to develop proper treatment for disease which is till now untreatable.

August 30th, 2008 The study compared nutrient intake over time among Europeans aged 65 or older. Participants who ate at least one portion of fish each week were 50% less likely to develop macular degeneration as those who ate fish less than once a week.

September 15th, 2007 Researchers concluded that eating yellow and green vegetables may help people aged 60 and older avoid age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness. They have conducted a new study of some 4,500 people aged 60-80 who were screened for age-related macular degeneration, which hampers central vision.

February 26th, 2009 Do you know what is gene mutation and what havoc it can create? A gene mutation is a permanent change in the DNA sequence that makes up a gene. Mutations range in size from a single DNA building block (DNA base) to a large segment of a chromosome.

June 28th, 2006 Biopharmaceutical company Genaera Corporation has commenced a multi-center phase II clinical trial to explore the efficacy and safety of higher doses of its investigational drug Evizon for the treatment of the eye disease, wet age-related macular degeneration. The study is designed to evaluate up to 140 patients with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) treated with Evizon at four dose levels of 40mg, 80mg, 120mg and 160mg over a 20 week period.

July 23rd, 2009 WASHINGTON - A diet high in omega 3 oils can lower the risk of developing age related macular degeneration, says a new study. The study has been published in the August 2009 issue of the American Journal of Pathology.

October 8th, 2005 Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in older patients in US and the developed world. Pegaptanib sodium (Macugen) is a new treatment for exudative AMD, and has been shown to stabilize vision in approximately 70 percent of cases.